WEBVTT
THEIR VOICES HEARD.
BIANCA: SALINAS IS A YOUNG CITY
IN THAT THEY AVERAGE AGE IS 28
ACCORDING TO THE U.S. CENSUS.
MANY RESIDENTS ARE EITHER TOO
YOUNG OR UNABLE TO VOTE.
THE SALINAS VALLEY DREAM
ACADEMY, COMPRISED OF STUDENTS
OF VARIOUS HIGH SCHOOL GATHERED
TO GIVE A VOICE TO THE
VOICELESS.
>> WE ARE ORGANIZED AND PROUD.
BIANCA: HUNDREDS OF STUDENTS
MARCHED TO MAKE THEIR VOICES
HEARD AHEAD OF THE NOVEMBER
ELECTION.
>> SI SE PUEDE!
>> IT IS CLEAR TO ME, A
16-YEAR-OLD HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT,
THAT CHANGES NECESSARY.
BIANCA: ONE BY ONE THE EXPLICIT
THEIR CONCERN.
-- ONE BY ONE THEY EXPRESSED
THEIR CONCERNS.
>> WE HAVE BEEN LABELED THE
MURDER CAPITAL OF CALIFORNIA.
OUR CRIME RATE IS 60% HIGHER
THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.
>> WE NEED COMMUNITY CENTERS
WHERE KIDS FEEL SAFE AND
WELCOME.
BIANCA: OTHERS WORRY ABOUT
PROBLEMS LIKE IMMIGRATION.
>> OUR PARENTS WORK HARD
EVERYDAY TO PUT FOOD ON OUR
TABLES.
WE CANNOT ALLOW THEM TO BE
THOUGHT OF AS RAPISTS AND
CRIMINALS.
BIANCA: TOGETHER THEIR MESSAGE
IS CLEAR.
>> WE HAVE TO VOTE TO PROTECT
OUR WATER, SCHOOL, AND MAKE
TOMORROW BETTER THAN IT IS
TODAY.
BIANCA: THOSE THAT COULD NOT
VOTE URGED LOCAL LEADERS TO PAY
ATTENTION.
THOSE DEMOCRATS WERE TAKING
NOTES.
-- THOSE IN THE CROWD WERE
TAKING NOTES.
>> LOOK AT HOW BRIGHT OUR FUTURE
IS.
WHEN I WAS YOUNG, I WASN'T NOT
HAVING RALLIES, I WAS HAVING
SPORTS.
>> THEY LIVE THE LIFE DAY TO
DAY.
THEY KNOW WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
>> THE MESSAGE THEY ARE GIVING
US, WE ARE LISTENING AS ELECTED
OFFICIALS.
WE NEED CHANGES AND WE NEED TO
LISTEN TO OUR YOUTH
BIANCA: THE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
DOES NOT END HERE.
MEMBERS OF THE SALINAS VALLEY
DREAM ACADEMY ARE PLANNING A
TRIP TO WASHINGTON DC TO WITNESS
THE INAUGURATION OF THE NEXT
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.

Dozens of students marched the streets of East Alisal to make their voices heard ahead of the general election on Tuesday.

The political rally was organized by the Salinas Valley Dream Academy, a group of students from the four high schools in Salinas.

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The organization was started by Alisal High government teacher Ruben Pizarro to engage students in community service projects and plans for higher education.

"It is clear to me, a 16-year-old high school student that a change is necessary, a change beginning with the youth of this city," a young girl said from the gazebo at Closter Park.

One by one, the students expressed their concerns. Many want to see an improvement in the safety and reputation of Salinas.

"We have been labeled the youth murder capital of California. Our crime rate is 60 percent higher than the national average," one student said. "We need community centers where young kids can go hang out and feel safe and welcome," another said.

Others worried about national problems like immigration. "Many of our parents built this country and work every day to put food on everyone’s tables. This country has progressed on the back of dedicated immigrants whose names and hard work have not been recognized but rather ignored," a female high school student told the crowd. "Instead we are considered to be aliens, illegals, bad hombres. We can never let ourselves be silenced reduced or insulted because we are much more than that."

Each speaker brought up different issues but together their message was united as one student summed up, "We have to vote to protect our water, to improve our schools and to make tomorrow better than it is today.”

A majority of those in the crowd are too young to vote in the election on Tuesday. They urged parents and local leaders to pay attention.

There were also a handful of candidates in the crowd and they were taking notes.

"Look how bright our future is," Democratic 20th Congressional District candidate Jimmy Panetta said . "When I was this age, I wasn’t out here having these types of rallies I was playing sports. It gives me hope and not only in our community but in our country."

"Our youth are extremely smart, they live the life day to day so they know what needs to be done," Salinas mayoral candidate Amit Pandya said. "That is one of the main reasons I am instituting an open door policy. Every Wednesday evening they will open two hours for any kid, any youth, anyone actually, to come sit and chat with the mayor."

"I’m so inspired by them," said Gloria De La Rosa, a Salinas City Council member who is seeking re-election.” The message that they are giving us, we are listening as elected officials, we need changes and we need to listen to our youth."

"Most of the time it’s grownups talking about what’s going on and how we can resolve the problem but when you allow the students of the youth the future of this city speak up, it’s great," De La Rosa’s challenger Virginia Mendoza, said.

The Salinas Valley Dream Academy plans to travel to Washington D.C. in January to witness the inauguration of the next president of the United States.